Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Germany, enclosed by complete town walls with gate towers. Inside are cobbled streets of half-timbered houses, the Gothic town hall and St James's Church with its carved altar.

Walk the covered walkway along the walls, photograph the Plönlein, the much-pictured corner where two streets fork around a little house, and try a Schneeball, the local pastry. The Christmas shops here stay open all year.

Rothenburg lies on the Romantic Road between Würzburg and the Bavarian Alps. It is busiest at midday, so stay overnight to enjoy it in the evening, when the night watchman leads his tour through the lanes. In December the town's Christmas market, the Reiterlesmarkt, is one of the most atmospheric in Germany.